Improvement in clasps for exhibiting shoe-laces



H. H. KOCH &' D. LYNAHAN. Olaspfor Exhibiting Sho-e Laces.

Patented Sept. 1?, 1878.

N.PETERS. PHDWLITHDGRIPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C-

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

HARRY H. KOCH AND DANIEL LYNAHAN,. OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CLASPS FOR EXHIBITING SHOE-LACES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,018, dated September 17, 1878; application filed March 19, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY H. Kocn and DANIEL LYNAHAN, both of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have made certain Improvements in Shoe-Lace Clasps, of which the following is a specification:

This invention is to provide boot and shoe stores with a device that can be fastened to the wall or any convenient place, and in the spring-jaws .of which the laces will be held tightly, but can be drawn out one by one, or a pair at a time, the object being to prevent their snarling or knotting up, as they do when in boxes or elsewhere, every time one is drawn out and the invention consists in its construction, as hereinafter explained.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation with the jaws slightly apart; Fig. 2, a front view.

A represents a flat metal piece, with holes a a at the top and bottom, to fasten it to a wall, bracket, wooden strip, or other convenient place in a shoe-store. This has formed on it, and projecting outward, an upwardlycurved jaw, 12. At the upper end is a guidelug, c, with an opening or hole therein, through which a rod, B, plays up and down. About midway, more or less, on this is formed an outwardly-projecting and downwardly-curved jaw, 1), corresponding to jaw 12 on the piece A, the two jawsclosin g and opening side by side, as shown in Fig. 1. The two jaws form a mouth or clasp, D, between the jaws of which the laces are hung, the jaws being first separated. The lower part of the rod B is made flat and slotted, as shown at e, and works up and down on a guide-pin, d, with a head, the other part being fastened into the piece A.

Just above the slot 0 is a projection, thumb,

or lug-piece, f, to push up to open the jaws I),

and which is automatically thrown back, closing onto the laces by a spiral spring, g, surrounding the rod B, kept in place by the top lug c and the flat part B. As the bunch of can be pulled down or pushed up, as is most convenient.

For a variety of laces a number of these clasps could be employed side by side on a slat or bracket; but two or more set in different parts of a shop will be found most convenient. These jaws are smooth and rounded,

. and will permit the brass ends of the laces to slip through easily.

We claim The clasp consisting, essentially, of the piece A, having the jaw b and guide-lug c thereon, the rod B B with the jaw b, the slot e. and spiral spring g, and the guide-pin d and lugf, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof we have hereunto signed our names in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY H. KOCH. DANIEL LYNAHA N.

Witnesses:

J. R. DRAKE,

T. H. PARSONS. 

